It is well known in motor vehicles to restrain an occupant in the seat by a lap belt disposed across the lap and a shoulder belt disposed diagonally across the chest.
More particularly, it is known to provide an active seat belt system comprised of a continuous loop of belt having an upper outboard end mounted generally adjacent the occupant shoulder and a lower outboard end mounted generally adjacent the occupant hip. It is also known to provide an inboard mounted anchor belt having a buckle thereon which detachably interconnects with a junction ring carried on the continuous-loop belt to divide the continuous-loop belt into shoulder belt and lap belt portions disposed, respectively, across the upper and lower torso of the seated occupant.
It is known to provide a directional locking device in the junction ring which permits free sliding movement of the latch plate along the continuous-loop belt when the latch plate is turned normally of the belt and locks to permit only one-way transference of the belt from the lap belt portion to the shoulder belt portion when engagement of the latch plate in the buckle turns the latch plate parallel with the belt portions.
It is also known to provide a passive lap and shoulder belt system wherein the outboard ends of the continuous-loop belt are mounted on the vehicle door. The inboard anchor belt end is retractably mounted on the vehicle body inboard the seat and the outboard anchor belt end is connected to the continuous-loop by a junction ring which is slidable along the continuous-loop to divide the loop into varied length lap belt and shoulder belt portions to fit the particular seated occupant. The junction ring is conventionally comprised of a sheet metal stamping or of a length of round stock which is bent into an elongated ring shape and welded together. In either case the junction ring has an elongated central slot defining a first load bearing wall over which the continuous-loop belt is slidable and an opposed second elongated wall around which the anchor belt passes and is sewn to itself.
It is also known to provide an emergency disconnect buckle at the door connection of one of the belt ends by which the belt system may be released to permit opening movement of the door and occupant egress even though the anchor belt retractor may remain locked after termination of vehicle deceleration.